multiple enchantment types

[Voadam]

If you have a magic staff and the feat craft arms and armor, can you enchant the staff to have weapon enchantments in addition to the staff powers (assuming it is a masterwork quarterstaff)?

From the srd

ADDING NEW ABILITIES

A creator can add new magical abilities to a magic item with no restrictions. The cost to do this is the same as if the item was not magical.

If the item is one that takes up a specific space on a character, any additional power added to that item doubles the cost.

It seems that this could be done and it would simply cost double the add on abilities.

Am I missing anything or is this a viable option.

 

[kreynolds]

I wouldn't allow you to turn a staff into a weapon, but I would allow you to turn a weapon into a staff. Staffs aren't really made to be wielded like a weapon.

I created a sword a while back that had staff-like qualities and it turned out fine.

 

[Voadam]

That's why I said assuming it was a masterwork quarterstaff. If you start off with a masterwork weapon staff, would it matter if you first enchanted it as a staff or as a weapon? Would the price matter which way you started?

I realize the flavor text of many of the staves would prohibit weapon quarterstaffs, but I don' think that applies to every one or as a general or explicit rule.

 

[kreynolds]

That's why I said assuming it was a masterwork quarterstaff. If you start off with a masterwork weapon staff, would it matter if you first enchanted it as a staff or as a weapon?

Not really. Either way you enhance it, it's still a quarterstaff.

I realize the flavor text of many of the staves would prohibit weapon quarterstaffs, but I don' think that applies to every one or as a general or explicit rule.

Yeah. The flavor text is just to make you really "feel" like you are actually carrying a Staff of Bitter Cold, or whatever. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Caliban]

Sure. Some of the Staves in the DMG are both magic weapons and magical Staves.
(Ex: Staff of Power, Staff of the Woodlands)

I think the costs would be calculated seperately and then added together for the final cost. (So you could have +10 worth of weapon enhancements/abilities, plus the magic Staff abilities.)

 

[kreynolds]

I think the costs would be calculated seperately and then added together for the final cost.

That's how I've been doing it. The longbow/double-sword in Dragon 294 was priced like that, if I recall.

 

[Voadam]

So no increase in base cost of powers just as there is no increase in cost for doing both parts of a double weapon. Is that because a weapon is not considered " one that takes up a specific space on a character"?

Good examples Caliban, I had misremembered the staff of power as an artefact along with the staff of the magi and I don't think I've looked up the woodlands one before in 3e.

 

[kreynolds]

From what I can tell, when a magic item serves two different purposes, such as a weapon and a staff, you calculate them separately and normally, then bundle them together. Also, a staff doesn't take up a specific space on a character either, so don't worry about it.

 

[GrassyKnoll]

Ok, so could I enchant a +1 Battleaxe with a spell such as Bulls Strength? And how much would it cost? And can I make it with only Craft Arms and Armour or is Craft wonderous item required?

 

[kreynolds]

Ok, so could I enchant a +1 Battleaxe with a spell such as Bulls Strength? And how much would it cost? And can I make it with only Craft Arms and Armour or is Craft wonderous item required?

Craft Arms and Armor AND Craft Wondrous Item, it would have unlimited charges, would be a standard action to activate, the Bull's Strength would last only 2 hours, and it would cost 24,000 gp on top of the +1 Battleaxe. There are other ways you can purchase the spell enhancement, but that's the most versatile.